Last chapter guys... :/ Yeah, I'm sad too...but I made it super long so we get to read lots and lots about our fave couple! I'm going to write another all human fic, one that's very planned out without a super long break in the middle where I forget most of what I was going to write about...oh well...i think it turned out pretty well...so be sure to keep an eye out for my next story...and the sequel to My Love Is Basketball! Basketball season is here...and my birthday is in two days O.o whoa...the year went by fast. Anyways...I typed this up super fast and there's probably tons of errors but I didn't want to keep you awesome fans waiting any longer...with that...ENJOY!

Izzy yanked the brush through Clary's curls, ignoring the red ball that gathered on the edge of the bristles. "Isabelle! I'm going to be bald at the end of this!" Isabelle scoffed and pulled another wad of hair from Clary's head.

"Oh, puh-leez, anything is better than this nest atop your head. I mean, seriously, Clary, have you even heard of conditioner?" Clary weakly threw a bottle of lotion at her friend, who expertly ducked out of the way. "Nice try." Clary huffed and crossed her arms across her chest, succumbing to Izzy's painful brushing in silence. "Aren't you excited for tonight? We get to go DANCING!" Isabelle did an awkward move in the mirror, somehow mixing the Egyptian and chicken dances. Clary chose to ignore the question, since Clary's answer wouldn't be the one Izzy wanted to hear. She hated going out on the town, especially at the new and improved Pandemonium.

It had been a little over a year since Clary had died in the back of the ambulance, but aside from Jace, Clary's friends knew almost nothing about that night. Her family had decided to keep it on a strictly need-to-know basis. Clary had initially thought this was the best idea, so that nobody pitied her as the girl who'd nearly been murdered by her biological father, but it was difficult, lying to everyone about the scars that marred her flat stomach, hiding the brokenness behind a thin veil. And it hurt. It hurt that her friends didn't notice the strange behavior, that they didn't care to question the idea that she'd been attacked in a gas station robbery, that they didn't wonder why her parents weren't pursuing the assailant. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind because someone knew, and he understood. Jace. Jace knew. Jace knew her like he knew himself. He always could see right through the façade she presented, the same way she'd been able to peer right through his protective arrogance.

Izzy, who'd continued to babble about tonight's plans, began to tug and straighten and re-curl Clary's carroty locks, as Clary's mind faded to a few nights ago. She'd moved directly into Jace's room after returning from the hospital, despite her mother's pleading for her to return home. "I'm a strong, independent, young woman, and I plan on finishing college and continuing my life," she'd said to her mother, trying to keep her voice calm despite the tears rushing down her cheeks. That night, Clary thrashed in the sheets, twisting them around her so tightly she felt she was suffocating. She saw him behind her closed lids. Eyes black as coal, a smile that could freeze fire, blood on his cheek. Her blood? Her mother's? Jace's? She couldn't tell. So she screamed.

"Clary," Jace shook her, his voice concerned, all trace of sleep wiped away by his fear. "Clary, wake up!" Clary heard his voice but felt strangled, constricted in the blankets. She called his name, over and over, begging, pleading for him to rescue her. "Clary, I'm right here," he'd said. "I'll never leave you alone." That was when the nightmares began, and she hadn't had a full night's sleep since. She'd felt guilty because every time she was awake, so was Jace. She knew he'd never tell her he was tired, but between classes and football, she knew that her sleeplessness was taking a toll on his life. Multiple times she'd tried to move back to her room, but the fear of being alone and Jace's reassurance that he was okay stopped her. Clary sighed, resurfacing to find Isabelle stabbing her face with various makeup utensils.

"Honestly, Clary. Could you hold your breath for a minute? It's hot and wet and totally going to ruin my hair." Clary stuck her tongue out and blew spit at her best friend, who squealed and called her a few explicit names but smiled as she continued to apply makeup. "Almost done here…" she mumbled to herself as she placed one last coat of mascara on Clary's lashes. "Voila!" Clary, not bothering to hide her relief that this experience was over, stepped in front of the mirror. As with every time Isabelle put her magic touch into Clary's appearance, Clary was completely mystified. Her eyes were rimmed in brown, bringing out gold flecks in the bright green orbs. Her hair was curled lightly and flowing all the way down her back. She wore a shimmering golden skirt and a cream top, with red high heels to add a pop of color. Isabelle had clasped on a necklace of golden leaves and finished it off with a touch of lip-gloss. "You are simply beautiful, Clary!" Izzy squealed as she applied her own liner. Clary smiled and made to sneak out of the bathroom, only to be caught by a hand whose wrist was dripping in silver bangles. "Claryyyyy, I'm almost ready! And I want to see the look on Jace's face!" Clary rolled her eyes. Izzy just wanted his appreciation.

"Fine."

X.O.X.O.X

"Isabelle, I really don't understand why we couldn't just ride with Simon and Jace." They were seated in Izzy's Camero, speeding through the streets of New York. The radio was cranked, playing random rap music that Isabelle knew every word to.

"Please, Clary," she said in between her rendition of Eminem's "The Monster." "We are fully capable of driving ourselves to this party. We are strong, independent women for God's sake!"

"Down, tiger! No need to whip out the inspirational feminism speeches again." Clary remembered that afternoon and would rather forget the ones about women's freedom of sexuality, starring an exclusive clip of Miley's MTV performance. Even the thought made her shiver.

"Sorry, I just…get carried away sometimes." Clary nodded and let her return to belting out Rihanna's lines. "Get along with the voices inside of my head!"

"Yes, you do," Clary mumbled as Izzy turned onto the street of Pandemonium. Clary's breath hitched in her throat at the sight of the place. It was all lit up now, with people clawing their way to the front of the line just to get a peak at the action. Her stomach felt like lead as Isabelle pulled into a parking space and reached for her bag.

"Alright, Clary. Back straight, big smile, and wave to the crowd now. Just kidding. You're not famous."

"Way to make a girl feel good, Izzy," Clary attempted to say with a steady voice though she felt she was on the verge of hyperventilation.

"I do my best." She watched her friend sashay toward the club in towering thigh-high boots and a little black dress that had less fabric than a bikini. That was definitely an Izzy original.

The New York lights seemed to disappear around Clary as she lifted herself from the car. The night seemed to close in around her, the darkness concealing the evils that could hurt her. Tentacles of demons seemed to brush across her bare arms as she stumbled blindly forward, silently begging Isabelle to come back. The memories were crushing down on her like a boulder as she struggled to keep them at bay. Her breathing became labored and ragged as white hair flashed in the distance. She nearly cried out before reminding herself that Valentine was dead. He could no longer hurt her. She was safe. She willed her feet to move to the entrance of Pandemonium. She heard the bouncing music, the hum of conversation, though the stench of death and despair clung to her like a second skin.

She spotted a peep of golden hair before it disappeared in the crowd. Her heart lifted, and she felt lighter, as if that mere glimpse of him drove away the darkness inside of her. She surged forward with a newfound vigor, knowing nothing except she had to be by him, to touch him, to hear his voice. "Excuse me," she whispered as she bumped into people, weaving her way through the excited and sweaty bodies of other young men and women…and several middle aged men and prowling cougars. She saw him, not his face, but she could just tell it was him. He was dressed in his signature all-black style and chatted casually with Simon, who seemed to be nodding and not talking much. "Jace," she breathed as she wove her fingers through his. Isabelle appeared among the bystanders as Jace finally looked down.

The look in his eyes made all the lost hair worth it. "You are…completely…I don't even think there's a word to describe you right now." Clary grinned.

"Is the golden-tongued Jace Herondale really speechless?" Clary whispered as she heard Isabelle hoot in the background.

"I so have to get this on video. I made Jace Herondale stumble over his words." Clary saw Jace throw Isabelle the finger as his eyes continued to drink her in. "Ooh! Come on, guys! The line is moving!" Isabelle pressed forward, dragging a dazed Simon behind.

"Go on," Jace called. "We'll catch up." He squeezed Clary's hand and led her out of the crowd. "You don't really want to go in there, do you?" he asked as he plopped down onto a bench, pulling Clary into his lap.

"Definitely not," she replied, giggling as he tickled her stomach. Jace kissed the sensitive behind her ear, his warm breath washing over her skin, causing her cheeks to flare.

"Good." They sat there momentarily in silence before Jace popped up, lifting Clary in his arms and beginning to walk. "Are you hungry? I'm hungry. Let's go to Taki's" Clary groaned.

"What is with everyone wanting to go to the places where I've nearly died?" Jace apologized quickly, having momentarily forgotten when Kaylee pushed Clary in front of the car. "It's okay," she whispered as Jace set her on her feet. "Can we go to Central Park?"

"Of course." Jace took her hand and began leading the way to the iconic park.

X.O.X.O.X

Jace and Clary were snuggled together beneath the coverage of a tree, watching as the rain sprinkled down around them. Clary's shoes were muddy and Jace's hair and jacket were soaked, due to the fact that he'd held his jacket above Clary's head to keep her hair dry. Clary looked up at him, noting his distant gaze, the way his eyes were glossy, as if he were in a different world. "Jace?" she asked, playing with his fingers.

"Mmm?"

"What are you thinking about?" Jace laughed, shaking his head and sending water droplets everywhere.

"Just about us." Clary flinched. Why was he thinking about their relationship? Was something wrong? Had her brokenness finally driven him away? Jace knew her thoughts and gently brought her lips to his before she could voice them. "About us. About how we started. About what we've been through. About how far we've come," he murmured, his soft lips whispering over her own. Jace wove his hand through her curls as she opened her mouth to welcome his. Clary broke away and cupped Jace's cheek.

"Did you know that if Kaylee hadn't pushed me in front of that car on that rainy day, I would have never known that the one I'd been dreaming about was you?"
Jace looked confused. "What do you mean?" Clary blinked, realizing she'd never shown Jace her painting. She stood up abruptly, beckoning Jace to follow as she sprinted through the rain to his car. "Where are we going?"

"Home," she replied, realizing that home was no longer the bedroom she'd been raised in, but rather the bed she and Jace shared at the Institute. "I have something to show you."

X.O.X.O.X

Clary wove through the hallways in the darkness, bypassing the door to their shared bedroom and instead pushing through the one that she'd called her own. She reached up on the shelf in her closet, her hand searching for the painting that had started everything. As her fingers brushed against the edge, she grabbed it and pulled it down from its resting place. She blew some dust from the surface before speaking. "This," she said gesturing to the painting that Jace was attempting to peek at, "is what I painted after my first night at Pandemonium. It was all I remembered. Just this." She flipped the painting and saw the shock on Jace's face as he looked at it and down at his own chest. "I knew no name, no face, just this." She heard Jace breathe in as he traced the tattoo, the scars, a mirror of his own flesh.

"I don't understand," Jace said. Clary smiled and lowered her picture to the floor, closing the gap between them. Jace's arms automatically folded around her.

"Jace. That was love at first sight for me. I didn't even remember your name, but I knew that I had to find you. That I just couldn't live without you." She snuggled in deeper and added, "I still can't." Jace kissed the top of her head. "And then, when I was in the hospital, you showed me your scars. You opened yourself up to me in a way you never had before, and it clicked. That was all the confirmation I needed to know you were for me. That I couldn't ever be the same without you."

Jace's mouth was on hers, hot and excited. She broke away from him, shocked. Jace looked down at her, smiling like he'd won the lottery. "Clary," he breathed before kissing her again. His hands found her hips as she kissed him back, casting away her doubts as she threw her arms around him, her shirt riding up in the process. Jace's cold fingers grazed the skin of her bare stomach, and she gasped, yanking the fabric back down. Jace took her hands in his and kissed her nose before directing her attention to the mirror. "Clary, we all have scars." He smiled. "Someone once told me that they don't show weakness. They show strength, and I think strength is beautiful." He'd been backing Clary over to her bed while talking, and the back of her thighs now touched the mattress. He wrapped one arm around her waist and cradled her head as he lay her down. Her chest heaved up and down. Jace had seen her scars, but just peaks when she'd accidentally let her guard down. She'd never taken her shirt off in front of him and freaked out if he so much as brushed her hip. But tonight, she was immobile, paralyzed by her pure need for him to see her, to share her pain with him and have him shred her insecurities. She gasped as he lifted her shirt up to her ribs but didn't move to stop him. He looked her straight in the eyes as he leaned over her and kissed every raised mark on her skin, calming the blazing shame that had burned in them for an entire year. Jace's lips brushed along her belly button, his nose tracing a straight line up her stomach before his lips united with hers. "Clary, every part of you is beautiful. I wouldn't change anything about you. Ever."

Clary smiled through the tears of freedom. She was free. Free of the insecurities that weighed her down. Free of her father's nightmare that haunted her every minute of the day. Free of the anger and shame that had had her in shackles. Just free. She pressed her lips to Jace's one more time. "Thank you," she breathed, knowing Jace knew the impact that had on her, having experienced it himself so many nights ago.

Jace smiled and helped Clary off the bed, much to her surprise. She'd been prepared to fend off any frisky attempts. Confused, she watched Jace reach down and gaze at her painting another time. "You can keep It," she blurted, blushing immediately afterwards. "I mean, why would you want it when you have the real thing you can look at in the mirror, but if you would like to have it, I'll give it to you. It doesn't matter either way—"

"Clary, I do want it. Thank you." He chuckled and set it aside again. "I just, feel bad because I don't have anything to give you." Clary opened her mouth to say that it was completely okay, but Jace dropped before her on one knee, reaching into his jeans pocket. "Except this." Clary's eyes immediately welled up again as Jace presented her with a ring. It was gold, with a giant square emerald in the center, surrounded by tons of smaller, glittering diamonds. Clary's hands flew up to her mouth. "Clarissa Adele Fairchild," he began, his honey voice as smooth as ever. He'd rehearsed this many times to himself. "You and I," he chuckled. "we've conquered a lot. This ring might seem like a measly representation of the bond we share, but I want to show everyone how strong our love is. You are smart. You are beautiful. You are funny and so brave. You are kind and generous, and you own my heart. This is me offering it to you forever. I want to wake up beside you every day. I want to see your smile and make you laugh. I want to kiss you and make you feel special every second of every minute of every hour. I love you, Testarossa. Will you make me the happiest man alive by marrying me?" Clary saw his shimmering tears as she gave him her hand to slide the ring on.

"I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather do," she whispered as she was swung around the room.

"I love you. I love you. I love you," he stated between kisses before finally setting her down, both breathless and giddy. Clary touched the stone and smiled as Jace lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. "I apologize," he said. "I think I was supposed to do that before I put on the ring. I was just too excited." Clary giggled and kissed him again. He brushed her curls away from her face and pressed his forehead to hers, grinning. His thumb brushed along the smooth emerald. As if feeling the need to explain himself, Jace began speaking. "I chose this stone for two reasons. One," he kissed her lips, "it's the stone of Venus and is thought to preserve love, and two," he kissed her again, "it is the exact color of your eyes." Clary giggled and twisted herself against him, crashing their mouths, the cracks and brokenness in both of them finally sealed with pure love and happiness.

Alright...maybe you know the drill, but if not 21 reviews on this chapter gets you a BONUS SCENE! And who doesn't want that? So leave me some feedback. Or tell me what you feed your pet unicorn. (I feed mine gold from the end of the rainbow.) Either one. Doesn't matter to me :)

All My Love

~BallinBlonde21